Japan chart: big debut for new 3DS Fire Emblem

Nintendo strategy RPG Fire Emblem: Awakening has stormed to the top of the Japanese software chart on its first week of release.

It sold an impressive 242,600 units, more than all the other titles in the top 20 combined. It's also the best week-one total for a new Fire Emblem game since Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem on the SNES way back in 1994.

Nintendo recently confirmed plans to bring the game to Europe, though a firm date hasn't been set.

It was a slow week elsewhere on the chart. Code of Princess, a new 3DS side-scroller from the team behind Treasure classic Guardian Heroes, debuted at two, selling 19,554.

Lord of the Rings: War in the North debuted at 17 on PlayStation 3, selling just 4199.

8 of the top 10 games were for 3DS, one for DS and one for PSP.

Here's the full chart, as posted on Andriasang:

1. Fire Emblem: Awakening (Nintendo, 3DS): 242,600 - NEW
2. Code of Princess (Agatsuma, 3DS): 19,554 - NEW
3. Super Mario 3D Land (Nintendo, 3DS): 14,491 (Life to date: 1,519,303)
4. 2nd Super Robot Wars Z: Saisei Volume (Namco Bandai, PSP): 13,560 (313,402)
5. Monster Hunter 3G (Capcom, 3DS): 13,069 (1,403,296)
6. Kingdom Hearts 3D (Square Enix, 3DS): 12,881 (289,668)
7. Kid Icarus: Uprising (Nintendo, 3DS): 10,915 (231,558)
8. Mario Kart 7 (Nintendo, 3DS): 10,892 (1,660,759)
9. Chou Rich Tamagotchi Puchi Puchi Omisecchi (Namco Bandai, 3DS): 8453 - NEW
10. Detective Conan: Prelude From the Past (Namco Bandai, DS): 8312 - NEW
11. Pro Baseball Spirits 2012 (Konami, PS3): 7954 (139,758)
12. Pro Baseball Spirits 2012 (Konami, PSP): 7833 (111,919)
13. Pokémon Conquest (The Pokémon Company, DS): 6976 (302,950)
14. Mario & Sonic at the London Olympics (Nintendo, 3DS): 6104 (137,326)
15. Wii Sports Resort Wiimote Plus Pack (Nintendo, Wii): 4567 (919,259)
16. Seinaru Kana: Orichalcum no Na no Motoni (Cyber Front, PSP): 4406 - NEW
17. Lord of the Rings: War in the North (Warner, PS3): 4199 - NEW
18. Detective Conan: Prelude From the Past (Namco Bandai, PSP): 4037 - NEW
19. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo, Wii): 3967 (3,550,906)
20. Miyako: Awayuki no Utage (Idea Factory, PSP): 3824 - NEW

Hardware sales remained largely flat, with only the 3DS showing any significant movement. It extended its lead at the top of the chart, with sales climbing from 63,796 last week to 84,760.

Vita's downward trend continued, with sales dipping slightly from 8250 to 8206.

The rest of the field lined up as follows:

1. 3DS: 84,760 (Last week: 63,796)
2. PlayStation 3: 16,390 (17,765)
3. PSP: 11,779 (13,166)
4. Vita: 8206 (8250)
5. Wii: 7025 (6837)
6. Xbox 360: 1282 (1373)
7. PlayStation 2: 1172 (1212)
8. DSi XL: 760 (800)
9. DSi: 516 (633)